Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery – Birmingham, AL

Sleeve Gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomy, also known as gastric sleeve surgery, is a relatively new surgical technique for weight loss. You may be a candidate for this procedure if your body mass index (BMI) is greater than or equal to 40 or between 35 and 40 with other medical problems, such as Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, Heart Disease, and High Blood Pressure. BMI is the measure of body fat based on your height and weight.

Gastric sleeve surgery may be an option for you if you are severely obese and have not been able to shed your pounds through diet and exercise. The procedure, along with lifestyle modifications such as the right proportion of healthy food and exercises, can help improve your overall health and quality of life.

Educational Video

Sleeve Gastrectomy Procedure

Sleeve gastrectomy works by changing the structure and reducing the size of your stomach. About two-thirds of your stomach is surgically removed during this procedure. At the end of the procedure, you are benefited with a smaller stomach which fills up quickly thereby limiting the quantity of food you eat and the amount of calories absorbed by your body.

Sleeve gastrectomy is performed laparoscopically. A laparoscope is a small tube like instrument fitted with a camera on the end. The camera is connected to a video monitor and allows your surgeon to see inside your abdomen to perform the surgery.

During the procedure, you will be given general anesthesia, which means you will be asleep and feel no pain throughout the procedure. Your surgeon will then create 5 small surgical openings on your abdomen. The laparoscope and small surgical instruments are introduced through these openings into your abdomen. Your surgeon will then divide your stomach in a vertical manner and remove a major portion (80-90%) of your stomach. The remaining portion of your stomach is joined together using surgical staples. This results in a long tube like or banana-shaped stomach.

The procedure takes about 30-45 minutes to complete. You will be started on a clear liquid diet following the procedure. You will be given medications to help alleviate any pain or discomfort. You will be instructed on a special diet plan to avoid stretching your stomach.

Procedural video

Benefits of A Sleeve Gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomy is performed laparoscopically avoiding the need for large abdominal incisions. Patients benefit with less pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery.

The surgery reduces the size and volume of your stomach thereby limiting your food intake and calorie absorption. As most of the stomach is removed, the procedure also benefits by limiting the amount of hunger stimulating hormone (ghrelin) produced in your stomach. The surgery results in a stomach that functions normally that enables you to eat most of foods, just in smaller amounts, after your procedure.

The surgery avoids any cutting or changing of your sphincter muscles. Sphincter muscles allow food to enter and exit your stomach. Any injury to the sphincter muscles can cause regurgitation, acid backing up into the esophagus, and heartburn. The pyloric portion of the stomach is left intact and helps avoid dumping syndrome (rapid gastric emptying causing cramps, nausea and diarrhea).

Sleeve gastrectomy is a simpler procedure and helps avoid the associated risks of an intestinal bypass. It also avoids the use of foreign materials such as with a gastric banding procedure.

Most of the patients, after losing enough weight, are able to experience improvement in their overall health and find it easier to perform their everyday activities.

Issues with Sleeve Gastrectomy

Stomach tube may stretch over time leading to late weight regain. The extent of this problem is currently unknown.

The procedure is not reversible.

The amount of weight reduction is typically 50-70% of excess weight lost over the first 1-2 years.

There is no malabsorption to nutrients.

If weight is regained, a second stage operation known as duodenal switch or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can be performed.